1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foam dispenser including a housing and a fluid reservoir placed in the housing. The housing includes an opening, a plug connected to the fluid reservoir in the opening, and a foam pump. The foam pump includes an air pump, a fluid pump, a closable supply to the air pump, a nozzle, and a movable operating part and is configured to dispense a quantity of foam through the nozzle upon actuation of the operating part in a direction of pumping. The foam pump and the fluid reservoir are combined into a removable storage holder.
The invention also relates to a housing for a foam dispenser configured to receive a removable fluid reservoir and a foam pump, and arranged for operation of the foam pump.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a storage holder, e.g., for liquid soap, configured for placement in a foam dispenser and comprising a fluid reservoir having an opening, a plug connected to the fluid reservoir in the opening, and a foam pump.
2. Background of Related Art
Soap dispensers with foam pumps can, in general, be divided into two categories. Certain variants are in use in hand soap dispensers, consisting of a flexible standing can. A foam pump is screwed into an opening at the top of the can with a nozzle pointing downwards and a dip tube that extends at least partly into the can. The pump is, therefore, located above the level of the fluid reservoir. The soap is pumped upwards. At the same time, air flows into the can via an air supply in the pump to prevent a vacuum from being established in the can. Such a soap dispenser must always be used standing up. If it is held upside down, soap flows through the air supply. There is also a chance of contamination from outside, which may block the air supply. For this reason, the pump and dispenser is not designed to last for a long period of time.
In a different type of soap dispenser having a foam pump, the fluid reservoir is located above the level of the pump. This variant is especially suited for fitting in a bathroom or toilet. The fluid reservoir is used to store the liquid soap and is replaceable so that the foam dispenser can be recharged. In this variant, the pump is fixedly attached to the housing. For this reason, the pump is of a much more robust type. Because the fluid reservoir is located above the level of the pump, parts of the pump continually contact the fluid, due to gravitational effects, and can thus be harmfully affected. The pump must also last much longer, namely, as long as is needed to pump away the contents of a number of the replaceable fluid reservoirs. Replacement of the pump entails having to replace the entire housing and is, therefore, costly.
PCT International Publication No. WO 95/26831 describes a fluid dispenser for dispensing foam. The device includes a collapsible fluid container and a foam pump attached to the container outlet. The foam pump includes two enclosures. The first enclosure is connected to the neck of the container and the second enclosure is telescopically received in the first. In an assembled state, the two enclosures define an air chamber and a fluid chamber, each having an outlet that join together at the foam outlet. The fluid dispenser includes a dispenser housing for detachably receiving the collapsible container and the foam pump. The foam pump may, therefore, be less robust, as the fluid reservoir and pump can both be replaced after use.
A disadvantage of the known apparatus is that the foam pump has been designed especially for this application. The foam pump is only suitable for application in one sort of housing. This makes production of the pump much less economical, as it is manufactured in a small series, especially for this application. When one wants to make different versions of the housing and storage holder, for example, to provide dispensers for different types of fluid, different types of the pump and housing must be made, which further reduces the production series of both the pump and the housing and thus makes manufacturing less economical.
Accordingly, there are needs for an alternative foam dispenser, housings for a foam dispenser, and storage holders which can be manufactured more easily and more efficiently.